


shift in perspective

by JaneDoe33



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angsty Derek, Bullied Derek, Bullying, Derek Has Issues, Derek and Stiles Friendship, Derek-centric, Derek/Stiles - Freeform, Emotionally Constipated Derek, Gen, High School AU, Hurt Derek, M/M, Slow Build, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Young Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, derek hale/stiles stilinski - Freeform, emotionally scarred derek, possible future sterek, sterek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-13 06:45:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5698882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JaneDoe33/pseuds/JaneDoe33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's his own fault,he knows.He is acutely conscious of the fact that if if he were cleverer,stronger--different--they wouldn't pick on him.So that must mean there is something innately wrong with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own any of the characters.Don't like,don't read.

Derek hurried through the hall, face averted , head down, carefully not looking at the group of laughing jocks , lounging near the lockers.If they just didn't notice-- 

"Hey Der Ber," rang out a voice mockingly."How ya doing today?" 

Face full of false bonhomie, one of them leaned in and flung his arm around Derek.Derek stiffened, face blank. 

"What, nothing to say to us? Of course,"said Garrett affably,"That would mean you can speak,wouldn't it, Hale?And as we all know,"he said, gesturing at the watching students,"Hale here, is practically a mute." 

His companions roared with laughter at his wit.Some of the surrounding students tittered along, dutifully,afraid of drawing attention by not playing along. 

Derek said nothing. 

The bell rang.Garrett released him and Derek relaxed minutely.The students trailed into the classroom.Derek quickly walked in and sat down at his desk.He didn’t look at anyone. 

A paperball hit him in the back of the neck.The class erupted in giggles. 

"Settle down,settle down,"said Harris tersely,striding in,black coat billowing behind him.Derek was reminded of a bat."We have a test today." 

Derek looked down at his paper.It seemed all Greek to him.But this was nothing new,so he wasn't unduly upset.He doodled on his paper and then jotted down some made up answers.The time passed slowly.He stared out the window. 

"If you have finished with your paper, Mr Hale,"said Harris suddenly, making him jump."Would you like to hand it in?" 

"Yes sir,"said Derek,leaping to his feet.Someone snorted. 

As he walked down the corridoor, a feeling of relief washed over him.He was glad to get away from that class full of people,all of whom thought he was both stupid and cowardly to boot.They were right of course,he thought dully,but that didn’t make it any more pleasant. 

He couldn’t wait to go home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Derek meets Stiles.

The next day Harris called him to his desk.Derek went obediently,wondering what he had done now.He had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with his absymal grades.He was right. 

"Mr Hale,"said Harris,without looking at him,shuffling his papers."Your performance in this subject and indeed,all your other subjects is below average.So far below in fact,I wonder if you are even trying." 

Derek gazed fixedly at a corner of his desk.There was a fly crawling up it determinedly. 

"I spoke to your parents and they feel-as do I-that you can do with some extra help." 

Derek blinked.His parents had spoken about him to Harris behind his back?He quickly squashed down the twinge of hurt he felt at this.He was doing pretty badly in his tests.Anyone would be worried. 

 

"I have arranged a tutor for you.He will be waiting for you in the library at break.The two of you can work out a schedule." 

With that,Harris got up,gathered his papers and gave Derek what he probably thought was an encouraging smile.It sat oddly on his narrow face,looked more like a grimace. 

Derek nodded.He took the slip of paper Harris had given him and walked out.He could feel Harris' beady eyes on his back as he went. 

At break,he went to the library and waited.It wasn't like he had anyone to sit with at lunch anyway.He wondered,briefly,what it would be like to have a friend to tell what Harris said. 

The library doors flew open in a flurry of papers and someone half fell,half ran in.He flailed,tried to right his balance and grabbed the edge of a bookcase.The strange boy caught sight of Derek and a wide smile spread over his face. 

"You must be Derek Hale,"he said cheerfully."Hi,I'm Stiles.We are supposed to study together.You got Harris' note,right?" 

He made it sound as if they were working on a study project and not as if he was tutoring Derek.Derek stared at him.The boy's smile fell,slightly. 

"Sooo...we had better get started then,huh?"said Stiles,sounding slightly nervous.They sat down at a table.Stiles gratefully deposited his pile of papers on it and rubbed his hands.His hands,Derek noticed,were very big and very skinny,the veins on them sharply defined.The long fingers looked like an old man's ,yet were strangely attractive.Wait,did he just think Stiles' fingers were attractive? 

Stiles flipped open a book.The pages were highlighted in bright yellow.Stiles had a pen stuck behind his ear.He whipped this out and waved it around.Derek was so distracted by the jerky movements that he almost missed what Stiles was saying next. 

 

"....so I was going through your papers and I thought we had better start with Math."At Derek's look of horror,he added,"It may not be everyone's favourite subject but it does make studying for the other subjects easier.Like,once you've done that,crossed that bridge,nothing seems that hard anymore,you know?Also,it's kinda fun, once you master the basics,the rest is routine."He stopped abruptly ,coughed,cleared his throat and tapped the pen on the wood a few times."I should stop talking now,shouldn't I?This kind of talk gets people beat up,haha.This kind of talk might get me beat up,more to the point.So I'll just stop now,yeah."He laughed nervously and looked expectantly at Derek. 

Derek,realising that some kind of response was expected,opened his mouth and closed it again. 

"Not much of a talker,huh?"said Stiles,looking at him closely."Never mind,I talk enough for two people." 

"I noticed,"said Derek,deadpan.Stiles looked startled ,threw his head back and laughed.His laugh was long and throaty and made something in Derek's stomach clench.The librarian shushed them irritably. 

"He speaks!" whispered Stiles,grinning.Derek's lips tilted up at the corners minutely. 

Looking encouraged,Stiles took out a crumpled piece of paper and smoothed it out.It had grease stains on it.And what looked like blood.Wait,no,not blood.--- 

"Tomato ketchup," said Stiles sheepishly,ears reddening slightly."My friend Scott got a little over enthusiastic with the ketchup.So ,uh,did I,haha." 

Derek stared at it.Stiles cleared his throat.   
"I made a schedule for us,ok?It's pretty flexible,so if we stick to it roughly,we should be done well in time--"Derek zoned out as Stiles continued to talk.He had been doing a lot of that lately.It was easier. 

When he came to again,Stiles was still talking.   
"...so he said to stick to the point,but the history of male circumcision is still way more interesting,I mean,who wouldn't want to know more?...Also when you think about it,all the events in the world are correlated ,so everything has an impact on everything else,and--" 

The time passed quickly.Derek watched Stiles talk,fascinated.How could someone have so much to say?When the bell rang,Stiles shoved a folder in his arms,gave another wide grin,and hurried out of the library,tripping twice. 

Derek examined it.It had a note stuck on top of it saying--get this --"NOTES".Because he totally wouldn't have figured that out on his own. 

He skipped the last few classes and went to the park.He sat down on a swing .The park was empty.The swing squeaked faintly in the wind.   
. 

He didn't know if the tutoring would help.He didn't think it would.Whatever was wrong with him,he suspected, Stiles couldn't fix it.He couldn't bring himself to be particularly worried.In any case he was glad for the excuse to see Stiles again.There was something hypnotic about the way he talked,he talked so much.Derek felt slightly envious.If Garrett treated Stiles that way,he would think of something to say.He wouldn't just stand there and take it.He would stick up for himself.Derek would like to stick up for himself too,it was just that everything he said came out sounding heavy and stupid.He could never find the right words.It was easier to just say nothing at all.

**Author's Note:**

> I know,I know,it's short.But as they say,brevity is the soul of wit. XD XD :P


End file.
